


The Oddest Gift

by balthesar



Series: Kushiel's Drabbles [1]
Category: Kushiel's Legacy - Jacqueline Carey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-04-29
Updated: 2008-04-29
Packaged: 2017-10-23 08:33:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/248301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/balthesar/pseuds/balthesar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What is the oddest gift you have been given?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Oddest Gift

The oddest gift I ever received was for a pittance, straight from the hands of the Dowayne of Cereus House. Phèdre, an _anguissette_ , and the record-keepers of the Night Court negligent enough that I had to tell _them_ of what a treasure they held. A beautiful girl 'flawed' by the red mote in her eye, rare and precious beyond reckoning, and the ignorant heads of the Night-Blooming Flowers reckoned her unworthy.

Their loss, my gain. Such is the way these things go and thus it was that I taught Phèdre alongside my first pupil, Alcuin, and told them both: all knowledge is worth having. It was knowledge alone that transformed the dark-haired girl from a whore's unwanted get, too imperfect to stay in the courtesans' Houses, to Kushiel's chosen, who would be sought after the world over and whose actions would affect the rise and fall of entire nations, win wars and secure thrones.

>   
> _Mighty Kushiel, of rod and weal  
>  Late of the brazen portals  
> With blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealed  
> Pricks the eyen of chosen mortals._   
> 

Phèdre proved a bright, curious and apt pupil. My ducats were well-spent.


End file.
